City of Broken Heroes
by TrueAngelofMusic1
Summary: post-COHF. After the Fey attack the Institute and Downworlders of Anchorage, Alaska, the surviving children of the Shadow World are sent to the Boston Institute for safe keeping. But the Fey never meant for there to be survivors. Now, the children must ban together to keep themselves safe. But wherever they are, danger will always find them.
1. Prologue

_Out of Control Fire Destroys Large Parts of City, Hundreds Dead or Missing_

_Last night, a fire bigger than anything the city has ever experienced ravaged through Anchorage, Alaska. In addition to destroying homes, stores, and places of work, the fire also took the lives of an estimated number of between 100 and 200 citizens, with dozens missing as well. Though the origins of the fire have not been found, it is believed to have begun at around 7:30pm, and raged on through the entire night, until it was completely distinguished at 6am this morning. Speculations have been released on how it could have been started, including an ignited oil spill, an uncontained forest fire, and an automobile flare-up. Police officials hope to have more concrete answers involving the fire's origins within the next few days. _

_ Relief shelters have been set up all over the city and surrounding towns for those who have lost their homes or place of residency in this devastating_

Nicholai Markwell slammed the newspaper he had been reading down on the table and brought a hand up to rub his eyes, both in exhaustion and frustration. "Shelters have been set up for those who lost their homes," he muttered bitterly. "Except of course for every Shadowhunter and Downworlder left. We're left to do this alone."

He wasn't without sympathy for all the mundanes affected by the attack. After all, it wasn't their fault this happened; they had nothing to do with it. But it only increased his temper hearing about all help being given to them, while meanwhile everyone in the city who was a part of the Shadow World was left completely to their own devices.

Although, it wasn't as if there were very many of them left. This attack had been sent with the purpose of killing them, not mundanes. And the fire wasn't even the worst of what had happened. In fact, it was only a distraction for the real terror that had taken place last night.

At around the time the newspaper stated the fire began, faeries had attacked the places of residency of every Shadowhunter and Downworlder in Anchorage. It seemed to have started with the vampires, in the long abandoned event hall the clan lived in. They attacked just before sundown, while the vampires were still waiting for the last traces of the lingering sun to die down before going safely outside. That was how the fire truly began, unknown to the mundanes, as the fey burned most of the clan alive. Most were killed instantly, while some were tortured for a while in the means of extracting information. The attacks next went to the werewolf pack. Despite their skills and natural talents, the few dozen wolves were no match for the hordes of hundreds of faeries that were a part of the attack. It wasn't long before the ground was stained with the blood of the pack, all ages, after they were torn apart. The warlocks, though few in numbers to begin with, were attacked at approximately the same time. They too stood no chance against defeating the fey sent upon them.

And, very last, the Anchorage Institute was attacked with full force. The fire, which by that point had already destroyed a large part of the city, was merely a distraction used against the Shadowhunters. And, once again, the sheer number of attacking fey was the defining factor in their destruction of the Institute. A lucky few, such as Nicholai himself, managed to escape as the attackers retreated out of the city, but most lost their lives.

He ran through the numbers again in his head, trying to find any solace in them. 150 vampires in the city before the attack, 9 remaining after. 40 werewolves in the city before the attack, 5 remaining after. 14 warlocks in the city before the attack, 4 remaining after. 18 Shadowhunters living in the Institute before the attack, 8 remaining after.

222 people of the Shadow World that were just yesterday living in peace, now only 26 were left alive. Thinking about it gave him absolutely none of the comfort he had been hoping for, and he stood quickly up out of his chair and began pacing.

The message was clear. Shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, and warlocks all fought against the Morgenstern boy and the faeries during The Dark War, and now the Fey was seeking revenge.

Nicholai was one of the remaining Shadowhunters in the city. His aunt and uncle had run the Institute, but both were killed in the attack. Now he was the only one left to take charge, despite there being hardly anything left of the Institute itself. And at 21, he was afraid he was far too young for that kind of responsibility, especially considering the current situation. He never intended to take over the Institute, so he never had any training or counseling for that sort of job, but he knew there was no choice. He was needed, and he couldn't let the survivors down.

After finding everyone who had survived the attack and leading them to the safety of the now crumbling Institute, his first order of business was to find a more permanent place for them to go. There was no way to tell if the faeries would come back if they found out that there were survivors, so he knew that getting everyone out of the city quickly was a priority. And, considering that 15 of the survivors were children, they needed to have a place to properly get over the trauma, instead of sitting in a destroyed building awaiting further instructions as they were now.

And he had the instructions, he was only waiting for confirmation to act upon them. After sending a message to the Clave about their situation and need for shelter, he received word of the places where each individual was to be sent. They could not all go to the same place. Some of the adults were needed to council the situation, make decisions, and help plan how to officially proceed, while some of the survivors had no use at the moment and only needed somewhere safe to stay. Nicholai himself was being sent to the Venice Institute, where he was to help plan the future of Anchorage. Others were being sent around the globe, either to stay with family, or to the places where their services were needed.

The only large group that was being sent to the same place were the children. Everyone under the age of 18, both Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike, were being sent immediately to the Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. It was far enough that they would be well out of the way of the danger that now resided in Anchorage, and at the moment it was one of the least populated Institutes in the country.

Just then, a tired, mousy looking young woman came into the room, a piece of paper clutched in her hand. She was one of the other surviving Shadowhunters, and also one of Nicholai's closest friends.

"Elena," he said, a hint of relief in his frazzled sounding voice. He hadn't been able to talk to her after the attack, only seeing her very briefly as they searched for surviving Downworlders. Even now being in the same room as her gave him the slightest sense of normality. "Have you heard anything yet?" She nodded her head quickly, and held the piece of paper she was holding out to him.

"News from the Boston Institute," she said, reciting the contents of the letter as he scanned over the words. "Caroline and Harrison Rosecross have agreed to the placement of the children into their Institute, and accept the responsibility of their care until further notice. They have given their permission for all those moving to their Institute to arrive through the Portal at your earliest convenience. They also send their deepest regards to all of the survivors, and offer up any other way they could be of service."

Nicholai nodded as he listened, planning out their next course of action even as she spoke. "Find one of the surviving Warlocks here, and request for them to create a Portal. I want these children out of here as soon as possible. We will send over any belongings and supplies soon."

"Already done," Elena replied. "I asked Samuel Hale just a few minutes ago, and he is simply waiting for your word."

"Thank you," he said, looking over at her, sincerity in his voice. He didn't know what he would do if he didn't have her there, always one step ahead of him. He was more grateful than he could put into words that she had survived. "I'll go tell everyone their instructions now, and make sure the children all leave safely."

He left the room quickly, Elena at his heals ready to assist him at a moments notice. She also was watching Nicholai carefully; she knew this was not a responsibility he had prepared himself for, and wanted to be ready to help before he himself knew he needed it. That was how things had always worked between them. He took on everything he could handle (and typically more) and she knew him well enough to tell when he needed her to step in.

The Downworlders were all waiting in the library, the most structurally sound place left in the Institute. Some were sitting, while some paced anxiously. A few spoke, but most stayed silent. Hardly any of them were even near each other, all of them staying within their own small groups. They were all covered in dirt and ash, and very few were without injury.

"Thank you all for your patience," Nicholai said, announcing his presence in the room as he entered. Every head turned towards him, listening for any kind of news they had been waiting for. "You have all been assigned a new, safe location where you will be sent within the next few hours. Some of you are needed to help with plans for how to proceed, and will be sent to the location where you will do so. If you have family, you will be sent to stay with them. The rest of you will find yourselves somewhere in the world where you will be safe from the harm of these recent events." He quieted himself for a moment as a soft murmur went through the room, as those listening discussed what he had said.

Nicholai cleared his throat, needing to continue. "Right now, we will be transporting everyone here under the age of eighteen to the Boston Institute. After discussing it with both the Clave and the leaders of the Institute, it has been decided that it is the safest place for the children to stay at this moment. They will be closely guarded and well taken care of there." Again, everyone in the room began speaking, some agreeing and some protesting. Nicholai tried not to listen to those protesting, knowing there was nothing he could do to change this decision now that he, the Clave, and the leaders at the Boston Institute had agreed on it. However, hearing some of them trying to reason to keep the orphaned children with them did bring on a slight feeling of pity. He searched his mind for something to say to reassure them that this was the best thing to do, but couldn't find the words.

"Please," he heard a light but steady voice next to him say, addressing the crowd. He turned his head and saw Elena taking a step forward, speaking to the group. "I know this is an unexpected change for all of us. But the situation will only be made worse by arguing. We need to move quickly in order to assure the safety of everyone here. You will be allowed to contact anyone being sent to a different location at any time you want, and this isn't necessarily a permanent change. If it is decided at a later time that Anchorage is safe to move back to, everyone will be free to do so. But for now, we need everyone under the age of eighteen to please come with me. We will be opening a Portal in a few moments."

There was no protesting this time, no one able to think of an argument against her. After a few moments, everyone in the room began to move. A few people said parting words to those who were leaving, while others simply approached Nicholai and Elena silently. Samuel Hale followed them as well, ready to create the Portal.

Nicholai shot an appreciative glance at Elena, and she smiled softly back. This would work. This would have to work. The safety of everyone there depended on it. And he wasn't going to let anyone down.

**This story is a collaboration between theYAfangirl17, PokGirlBlue, TheEternalDaylightingRanger, wood painted flesh, JustDon'tFlickrr, Renesmee4eva, CityofWillHerondale914, Another Blonde Bombshell, and me. Each chapter will be written in the POV of a different character, and each character is written by a different author. **

**Chapters will be posted soon, so remember to follow this story!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Author: woodpaintedflesh**

_Vesper Saint Claire_

I am not a bad dude. Seriously, the worst thing I've ever done was run away from home. The second worst thing was move to Alaska. It was my best friend Blue's idea. She had her whole life here in Anchorage planned out. See, she's a warlock. But in all honesty, she's not a very _good_ warlock. She was never trained, always on the run. So she decided, after she rescued me from cannibalistic vampires three years ago, that we would be safe in an abandoned storage unit building as our home in Anchorage, Alaska.

Before we'd even met, I'd been kidnapped by some vampires near my home in Hollywood. I'd been their subjugate for weeks—and as sick as it sounds, I'd actually felt joy in having the blood sucked out of me. But then I'd grown too weak. The vampires decided it was time to turn me, but still keep me as a hostage/feeding supply—hence, "cannibalistic vampires." Blue saved me after they'd pulled me out of my own grave. And we've been inseparable since.

That is, until she found out she could take the Anchorage Institute's Portal to the "Labyrinth" where she could train. This place is only available to warlocks and no one but them know where it is. She'd been visiting the place to train. She had never been exactly _good_ at what she was and what she could do; she'd grown up without a tutor. I'd rolled my eyes when she said she "would die an instant and blindingly painful death, for real" if she revealed the Labyrinth's whereabouts when I'd asked.

I sigh when I see the time on the clock. The sun is just setting, and unfortunately, this is around the time Blue ends her lessons. I begin getting ready to pick her up—I slip on a hoodie to shield my face from the setting sun and even a mini umbrella, just in case.

And then I smell the fire before I see it. I look out a nearby window. I watch as someone runs away from the fire that just set on my building.

I don't quite understand what is happening, other than the fact that someone just set my house on fire. I move fast. I grab some mundie cash from where Blue keeps it, a kitchen knife from Unit 28 (otherwise known as our kitchen), and a bag filled with bottles of water; they may help with putting out some fires or saving someone's life.

I am just about to open the door to escape when I am grabbed from behind. The person muffles my screams with their hand. I drop the bag and take the knife from my jeans pocket. I elbow them in the stomach. They double over and I spin around to deliver the final blow, but what I see stops me.

The person is a woman. Not only that, but she is fey. She clutches her stomach, grimacing, as if waiting for me to finish her off. But I am frozen. She takes that as the opportunity to swipe my legs from under me. I land on the floor with a thud, but luckily the fall isn't hard enough to knock the knife from my hand.

The fey woman lunges for me, but I roll away just in time. There are times when I curse being a vampire. This is not one of those times. With my inhuman speed, I am able to stab the woman in the back with the knife, all the way to the hilt. I dig it out, making sure to make it painful for her.

I jump to my feet and cautiously back away, but she isn't moving. I know what I'd done wouldn't kill her, but that she'd be down for a while. I step over her carefully, and make my way outside.

I slip through the gates, treading lightly on the pavement. By now, the sun has gone down, so I take off my hood. I stop in my tracks. The whole city is on fire. Traffic has stopped and mundanes step out of their cars and homes to watch. The fires are slowly making their way to this side of town. Then I remember: The Institute is on _that_ side of the city. _Blue._

I run. I don't even care that I run with godlike speed in front of normal people.

I pray to who or whatever is out there that the Institute is untouched. But as I turn the corner where I usually see it standing, tall and proud, like those pompous Shadowhunter assholes, instead half is already crumbled to the ground. I can hear people screaming from inside, others trying to pull people out from the rubble. Mundies run past me, oblivious to the chaos at the Institute.

I race over and notice something odd. A few vampires, looking tired and grief-stricken sit on the side along with a few werewolves and warlocks. Some of the Downworlders are even helping the others rescue people from the fire.

I notice a very tall man with dark hair giving orders. He looks pretty young. In fact, he can't be older than 20 at least. I jog over to him.

"Hey," I called out. He glances down at me. I shift awkwardly. "Tell me what I can do to help."

The man sighs. "You can tell me who did this."

The knife in my pocket suddenly feels heavy as I remember the fey woman in my house. But before I can tell him this, he turns away, yelling something about kids being priority.

Before the man can walk away, I placed a hand on his shoulder. Now he just looks irritated.

"Listen," I try again, "I have someone I care about in there, too. She used your Portal a few hours ago, and I need to make sure she's s—"

He shakes his head. "Hate to break it to you, but she's either safer wherever the hell she is, or she's been burned alive."

My hand tightens on his shoulder and I grit my teeth. It takes all of my self-control not to sock him in the face. "_Let me help._"

"There's nothing you can help with, vampire. Now go sit with your buddies on the curb over there." He jerks his head in that direction and turns away a final time.

I sigh in defeat and watch the flames, willing Blue to run out of the wreckage, with a bright smile to let everyone know she's okay.

I hear a few people arguing to my right and shift slightly in their direction.

"What do you mean, I have to help pull the others out?" A girl about my age, with hair the color of copper, argues with a woman. She wears worn out jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, and a backpack lies at her feet. She has a small girl hanging on her hip, covered in a ratty blanket. The little girl clutches an old teddy bear in her small fists. They both look like they went through a lot, with soot and ash covering them from head to toe.

The woman she is arguing with is very short, with short brown hair, and seems really flustered with her. The woman tries to open her mouth, but the girl beats her to it. "I'm sorry, but as you can clearly see, my arms are full. I am in shock right now. Aubrey and I—" she gestures to the little girl, "—are the last of our family, so you can go fuck yourself!" I try to hide my snicker, I really do. "I'm staying here." She finishes with a huff.

I shake my head, and continue watching as survivors climb out of the rubble. Of course, when Blue doesn't come out for the next five minutes, the worst scenarios play in my head. What if she was burned alive? What if rubble fell on her and she can't move? What if she is stuck in the Labyrinth, because she is too stupid to know how to make her own portal to get out of there?

And then I hear her voice.

"_Ugh, get your hands off me, I swear to Raziel."_

I grin. Blue stands there with a scowl on her face as people crowd her. She is wearing a purple hoodie with the most ridiculous leggings I have ever seen accompanied by boots. She shakes her head in an effort to get dirt and ash out of her short hair. She looks up and sees me walking over to her and a smile splits her face.

"Yo, Saint Claire!" she calls. She shoves her saviors aside and rushes over to me. I swing her up into a hug. She is only a few inches shorter than me, and light as a feather. When I set her down on her feet she says, "You scared me there, Ves."

I look at her incredulously. "_I_ scared _you?"_

She nods. "I didn't know where you were! You could've been dead in a ditch, for all I knew!" I shake my head in exasperation. She nudges me with her shoulder. "Seriously, how is my favorite ginger?"

In response, I pull out the knife from my pocket. Blue jumps back. "Okay, not the kind of warm fuzzy reunion I was expecting from you."

I wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Shh. I think the fey started the attack on the city. I had to pull this damn thing on one in the storage unit."

She looks at me with wide eyes. "No shit?"

I shake my head.

Just then the tall guy claps his hands. Most of the fire has died down. "Alright. I'm going need everyone inside the Institute for tonight." There is a murmur throughout the crowd. "Yes," the man sighs, "even the Children of the Night. The wards to keep you out are down and it's safe to step inside what's remaining of the cathedral. We need a count of all the survivors, so get moving."

I clasp Blue's hand as we all shuffle inside. The man—who later introduces himself as Nicholai—leads all the survivors to the Institute's library; it barely survived the fire. Everyone immediately makes themselves at home, curling up in corners, trying to find some sort of comfort.

Nicholai and Elena—the woman who had argued with the girl a few hours earlier—has us gathered around the fireplace. There are only twenty six of us in total. Families huddle together, couples have their arms wrapped around each other, friends touch shoulders, and even strangers—Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike—brush arms.

Everyone is uneasy—that much is palpable. Someone is always shifting, all of us anxious for the death toll. We are all sharing awkward glances as we wait for Nicholai to come out of the small corner office with the verdict.

Blue stays by my side and eventually falls asleep where we are sitting on the floor, leaning against a bookshelf. I pull her closer to my side. Even though she is two years older than me, I still feel the need to protect her. I once thought I was in love with Blue—what with her exotic looks: natural tan skin, dark freckles, and grey-green eyes—but really she is nothing more than the older sister I never wanted.

We sit there all night, and not once do I get a wink of sleep. I watch as everyone sprawls out on the floor with someone they know. That girl with auburn hair and—Aubrey, I think her name was (?)—curl up together on the armchair. Another girl with blue-tipped red hair is in a hushed conversation with a wise-looking guy with black hair and he wears what looks like old Victorian clothes.

Finally, when the sun is starting to show, Nicholai takes a weary step out of his office.

"Thank you all for your patience," he says. I shake Blue awake. She gives me an irritated glare, but I nod my head in Nicholai's direction. She immediately perks up. He continues, "You have all been assigned a new, safe location where you will be sent within the next few hours. Some of you are needed to help with plans for how to proceed, and will be sent to the location where you will do so. If you have family, you will be sent to stay with them. The rest of you will find yourselves somewhere in the world where you will be safe from the harm of these recent events."

My arm tightens around Blue. I can't be separated from her.

Nicholai clears his throat. "Right now, we will be transporting everyone here under the age of eighteen to the Boston Institute. After discussing it with both the Clave and the leaders of the Institute, it has been decided that it is the safest place for the children to stay at this moment." My shoulders sag in relief. Blue and I are both under eighteen. Blue squeezes my hand. Nicholai says, "They will be closely guarded and well taken care of."

Immediately, a plethora of protests flood the room. Nicholai looks troubled enough as it is. He looks exhausted, and I don't blame the guy. I stay silent, mostly for his sake.

Elena, who has been standing next to him since he entered, takes a step forward. "Please, I know this is an unexpected change for all of us. But the situation will only be made worse by arguing. We need to move quickly in order to assure the safety of everyone here. You will be allowed to contact anyone being sent to a different location at any time you want, and this isn't necessarily a permanent change. If it is decided at a later time that Anchorage is safe to move back to, everyone will be free to do so." I roll my eyes. They are so full of it. "But for now, we need everyone under the age of eighteen to please come with me. We will be opening a Portal in a few minutes."

People say their goodbyes. Some are being overdramatic. I just want to get this over with. I place a hand on Blue's back and follow Nicholai and Elena. The wise-looking man follows in suit. I realize he is our means of transportation; he is going to create a Portal for us.

I learn his name is Samuel Hale, and the girl with blue-tipped hair stands next to him. He speaks quietly in her ear and she gives him a weak smile and a small nod in return.

They both quickly and quietly open up a Portal. I squeezed Blue's waist and step through, thinking of a better home in Boston.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Author: trueangelofmusic1**

_Bonnie Kennedy_

It's only been a few minutes since the Portal closed behind us, and already I can see how uncomfortable everyone around me looks. Some of them, especially the younger ones, look frightened, their eyes darting around quickly like they don't trust this place any more than they trust the fey who had attackedthem only hours ago. Some of the others look angry, as if this all could have been prevented and they are a victim of sheer stupidity. A few, particularly the Shadowhunters, stand almost completely still and expressionless, no doubt doing their best to hide whatever emotions they think they shouldn't be feeling.

The only person I can know for sure what they are thinking is my sister, Violet, who's hand is intertwined with mine, as it has been since the very beginning of the attack. It is the only way that we can guarantee that we won't be separated. She hates anything new, so I know how much she wants to leave already. It seems like I'm the only one who is the least bit relieved to be here. After all, we did just survive an attack that none of us were meant to live through. But I can't stand to see Violet upset, especially not right now. I need her, and she needs me.

"Vi," I say softly. "It's going to be okay. We'll be safe here, that's what matters." I can only imagine what's going through her head, and I want to remind her that it's not a bad thing that we're here.

"But I don't like it here," she argues, her voice just as quiet as mine, so I doubt anyone around us can hear, though it's firm and certain. "I want to go back to Anchorage."

I have to admit to myself that I want that too. It's our home, it has been practically our entire lives. But it's not as simple as getting what we want. Nothing is that simple. "I know, but it's dangerous now," I remind both her and myself. "Besides, it can't be so bad here."

"You don't know anything about this place or the people that live here. You can't say that," she points out, as if I don't already know. It does concern me a bit that we'll be staying with all these people that we've never met, for an amount of time that no one knows. But I have to believe that everyone here is good, after all, they haven't done anything yet to prove otherwise.

But I know, for Violet, it isn't simply just not wanting to get to know new people. "I know you don't like Shadowhunters," I say lightly. "But it's their job to protect people. We have to just trust them." Trust is a hard thing for Violet, much harder than it is for me, and I doubt convincing her otherwise is going to be easy.

"I'm not going to trust something that almost killed me," she says simply, bitterness laced into every word.

There was a time, when we were ten years old, that Violet was accidentally attacked by a Shadowhunter when we were walking down the street together just before dusk. Apparently, the Shadowhunter had just had a run-in with some trouble making faeries, and couldn't tell us apart from them through the dimming light as the sun began to set. He had seen our slightly pointed ears, and the tinge of magic to us and assumed we were full faerie. He hadn't hesitated long enough before attacking to realize that we were only half fey, and weren't causing any harm. Violet hadn't been badly hurt, but she has never trusted a Shadowhunter since.

"These are different Shadowhunters," I try to reason. "Andthey aren't all the same." I know in my heart that, despite the actions of the one who had tried to harm us and the hatred some others have faced us with, Shadowhunters aren't bad. No one is truly bad. "Besides, I wouldn't let anything happen to you. No one is going to hurt you."

"They are all the same if you ask me," she replies stubbornly, clearly not about to see it my way. "They are all half angel, they all hunt demons. There's nothing to say they won't try to hurt me… or you. You can't trust Shadowhunters." As much as I try to convince her to forgive and forget, she has tried to convince me to build up walls and hate like she does. She fears for me, that I trust too willingly and won't hold grudges, in the same way that I fear the hate she holds will make her miserable.

At that moment, new presence becomes clear in the room. I turn my head and see two Shadowhunters, one man and one woman, both young and unfamiliar, standing near a far wall. The way they hold themselves makes it obvious they want the attention of the room, and are about to speak. "At least give them a chance," I whisper before going silent, wanting to listen.

"Welcome, everyone," the woman greets, and I can instantly tell from her warm smile and sincere voice that she is someone that will be easy to like. Her dark blonde hair falls past her shoulders in gentle waves, like it was just taken out of a braid, and her brown eyes look around the room almost excitedly, as if she is glad to have every one of us there.

"I'm Harrison Rosecross," the man tells us, and the difference between the two of them is quickly apparent. His voice lacks the warmth that the woman's had, and is instead dutiful and almost stern. His ice blue eyes look at no one in particular, though he glances at the woman every few moments. "This is my wife, Caroline, and we are the leaders of this Institute." I had guessed that much by now. That they are the leaders of the Institute, and that they are a couple. The way he looks at her, as if to reassure both her and himself, and how they move together like one piece, even while just standing there, makes it clear. Even though they're young, mid-twenties at most, I would guess that they've been together for a long time.

"I know that there have been many changes to your lives in just a short amount of time," Harrison continues. "But we expect that you will do your best to adjust to our arrangements here quickly."

"Of course we will do everything we can to make this adjustment as easy as possible," Caroline interjects, casting a sympathetic, yet not annoyingly pitiful, look at us.

"For now, you will be shown to your rooms, so you can take the day to settle in and get the rest that you need," Harrison continues. "Food will be brought to those who need it, and the same goes for the other…nourishment arrangements." I'm sure he is talking about the vampires, though he won't outright say it. "But tomorrow you will begin growing accustomed to our schedules and rules." I've never even been inside of an Institute, besides the few hours at the one in Anchorage just before leaving, so I have no idea what he means by this. But it makes sense; it's not like I had expected them to just let everyone do whatever they please until we return home.

"We don't have many others staying in the Institute at this time," Caroline says. "So there are enough rooms available that you will only be sharing if you have a family member here. If there's a problem with this arrangement, you are more than welcome to let us know and we will do what we can to make it more comfortable for you." I can see how hard she is trying to make us like being here, and I appreciate it, and I'm sure everyone else does as well. But, with one glance at Violet, I wonder if that's not exactly true.

…

I don't know whether it is because of the time difference or the fact that I haven't slept since the night before the attack, but I am absolutely exhausted by the time the sun just begins to set. Violet and I have been sitting in our room almost silently since Caroline showed everyone where they would be staying. I hate not talking to her; usually at this time we would be walking together, or sitting in our room at home, talking as much as we always do.

It's obvious that Violet and I have very different opinions and attitudes, but I honestly have no idea what I would do without my twin. She's the only family that I have. We never met our father, who was just a mundane. I don't know if my mother loved him or not, but he never tried to find us. Although, I can't imagine our mother loving anyone. She abandoned Violet and I soon after we were born, and we've never heard from her. I wonder sometimes if it was because she was a faerie, and that somehow stopped her from loving us, but I don't like to think about that; I don't like thinking that being a faerie is bad. Even after everything that happened with the attack, I don't want to feel ashamed of who I am.

We were raised by a few Downworlders when we were young children, but Violet and I have never been very close to anyone but each other. And just seeing her unhappy now isenough to make me sad as well. I stand up from my bed and move to sit down on the edge of hers.

"Are you okay?" I ask her, though from her expression and silence, I can tell that she's not.

"Fine," she responds, not even looking up at me when she speaks.

"Don't lie to me, Vi," I say with a small sigh. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"You know what I'm thinking, Bonnie," she says, finally looking at me. "I don't like it here."

"I don't think the people here are so bad," I try to reason, wanting to think of anything that would make her keep an open mind about being here. "That woman, Caroline, seems really nice. And I bet the other Downworlders are too." I don't bother including Shadowhunters in my statement, knowing that, if I do, she wont even consider it to be the truth.

"You trust too much," she says, shaking her head just slightly. "You don't know these people. The 'kindness' could just be an act so they can turn on us later."

"They haven't done anything wrong yet, so that's why I trust them. And, even if you're right, we don't have a choice. We have to stay here until Anchorage is safe to live in again. It will only be worse if we just hate everyone for no reason and don't try to make any friends." I can't imagine being inside her head, and being as afraid to trust as she is. I know that's what all of this comes down to: fear. She doesn't want us to get hurt, and she's willing to seclude herself to keep that from happening.

"I'd rather hate everyone than risk getting hurt." And that's what I'm afraid of. But this isn't anything new, and I know itwont change any time soon. At least, not without a reason.

"Fair enough, I guess," I allow, done with arguing about it. "But don't completely shut yourself out. We might be here for a while, and I don't want you to be miserable all the time."

"I'm not making any promises."

"That's fine, for now," I say with a sigh. "I love you, Vi. I just want you to be happy."

"I know. And please stop calling me Vi, you know I don't like it." It stings, and I think she meant it to. If she wants to take her anger out on me, then that's her choice.

"Fine. I'm sorry," I say, my voice volumes quieter than before. I stand up. "I'm tired, I think I'm going to just go to sleep."

"Okay. Goodnight," she says like she doesn't see anything wrong at all.

I walk over to the mirror on the far end of the room and brush out my short, sandy blonde hair for a minute, the simple repetitive motion of it keeping me from thinking too much. Violet's longer hair is in its normal messy braid, so I figure she's not going to do anything different with it. I set the brush down before moving back over to my own bed and laying down, facing away from her. For the first time since arriving here, I'm overcome with a kind of sadness. Not because of the move itself, but because of the tension it's creating between us. I hate fighting with my sister, and we almost never do. But here, it's like she doesn't even want to talk to me. As if she thinks I'm just like everyone else here.

Maybe Boston isn't as good of a change as I thought.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Author: theYAfangirl17**

_Ridli Lovelace_

As I sit in the giant armchair with Aubrey in my lap, I can't help but think of our destroyed home. Her bony butt is digging into my thighs so I shift her body a little to make myself more comfortable. The Anchorage Institute is now little more than a few stone fingers poking the air. Almost all of my possessions are ashes in the wind; what is left remains in the backpack at my feet. In it are some clothes, a scrapbook of my family, a brush, and other things I can't part with that fit. Also in it are a stack of five letters addressed to Aubrey from her parents.

It still baffles me how they knew what was coming, warned me, and then they still died in the faeries attack. But it is best not to mention that to Aubrey right now. Even now I can feel her body slightly trembling Soon she will be terrorized by nightmares similar to mine. Somehow despite how annoying she is, I don't want that fate for her. I remember Aunt Breena giving them to me in the library after taking me from my training.

"_Jillian, please give these to Aubrey if anything happens to me and Gideon. I can't tell you why but please trust me on this." She pushed a stack of envelopes towards me all addressed to her perfect little daughter. Each was in a pink envelope and from a distance I could tell they were scented with Breena's perfume I looked at them before going back to my aunt Was she honestly trying to scare me or something?_

"_First off Breena, my name is Ridli. The only people allowed to call me Jillian are dead. Second off, either tell me why I should waste my time to hold these letters for Aubrey or give them to her yourself." I leaned further into my chair and crossed my arms to add to the effect. I was pissed off for no reason and Aunt Breena was the recipient. She was the only one who pulled me from taking my frustrations out on a dummy. She looked into my eyes and begged me to just concede. I rolled my eyes and glared back. The last time I did something just because they asked my brother died alone in our mansion in Idris. Mow I had to know why everything would need to be that way. _

_ At first Aunt Breena just sat there and stared at me. She wouldn't do anything. After about ten minutes I went to stand up when her hand flew out to hold me. "Please Killian. Just do i."_

_ I laughed at her feeble attempts and gave her my signature "No" again. _

_ Finally I saw resignation in Aunt Breena's eyes. She started off by saying, "Whatever I tell you is confidential Jillian. You can not repeat this to anyone. Do you understand?" I nodded and leaned forward. Since she was spilling secrets, I would let the Jillian slide this time. "The fey are upset with the Calve and all Shadowhunters in general. This is because of all ties being cut off with them after they aided Jonathan Morgenstern. It especially upset the Unseelie King. He found no reason why his court should be shunned while it was the Seelie Court that fought against the Clave. Now the Unseelie Court are dark people Ridli. The SEeelie may joke around and hurt you for a silly reason, but the Unseelie will hurt you anytime." _

_ I held my hand up and stopped her. She was slightly confusing things. Where was this talk of fey coming from? "What is the difference between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts? They are both fey and there had to have been some Unseelie fight Shadowhutners too."_

_ "Ridli, the Seelie do look down upon humans and Shadowhunters but they don't actively hurt them unless insulted. The Unseelie are evil in nature and will always pick harming over helping if they have to choose. They are the nastier side of faries and you do not want to be caught in their court. It's terrifying." _

_ I gave her a silent wink before laughing. "Breena, nothing can scare me. Especially a pompous farie."_

_ Brreena shook her head and reached for one of my hands. "Jillian, please take the letters. Gideon and I fear that the faries may attack soon. My friends that are still ladies in the Seelie court believe so too and told me that we need to leave Alaska immediately. Gideon however doesn't want to leave just yet. We do however agree that we need to plan in case of the said attack. I want you to take these letters and pack a bag. Fill it with clothes, objects, whatever you want. Just take these letters too please. If by the end of the month nothing happens, I am taking you and Aubrey to the London Institute. You have a relative there who will protect you girls."_

_ Her hand was gripping my arm still and tears fell from her perfect violet eyes. Still my curiosity poked out. "What relative? And why wont it protect you?"_

_ "You'll know Jessamine when you see her. And I'm no Lovelace."_

Her words haunted me as I had packed after dinner that night. I had grabbed a bunch of clothes and sentimental objects I had barely been able to take in Idris. Then a week later, the attack occurred and I am sitting in this chair with Aubrey in my lap. I shift her again and feel the buss that said my legs are asleep. My throat is parched and this stupid survivor camp has some yummy looking muffins and orange juice across the room. They seem to capute my attention to longer I sit here awake. Finally it feels like I would die if I don't go get some right now.

Aburey flutters her eyes and starts to wake up as I move her off of my lap and onto the chair. I shush her until I am positive she is out. I can not be there when she wakes up and thinks for a few seconds that she still has a mom that would bake cookies with her and a dad that will carry her around on his shoulders. It will hit too close to what I feel on a good morning. I steek stealthily around all the bodies on the floor of the refugees. At last I finally reach the food and start to each for a chocolate chip muffin of the top of the pile when a voice stops me. I still pick up my muffin then goran when that person keeps speaking to me. I groan out before I can stop myself," Are you fucking kidding me?" I turn around to face the voice's owner.

It is a fat child that looks to be no more than ten years old. He is not much taller than Aubrey and has dark eyes and hair. He had a strong nose and jawline. "There's no need to be rude Nephilim," the little boy sneers with more venom than most children have. "I was just looking for some dinner."

I'm slightly taken back by him before I take in the runeless body. She he isn't a Shadowhunter. Then again, his voice could have told me that with the way he spat out the word 'Nephilim'.

"Well in case it wasn't clear little boy, these are breakfast foods. And you are in my way of eating an oversized chocolate chip muffin. Now shoo and run back to your mommy." As I spoke I reached around him and grabbed a cup to fill with some orange juice.

His dark eyes go blank for a moment before fat tears spring from them, tracking their way down his plump little face. "Mommy's gone, she burnt up."

"Well boo freaking hoo. I don't have any parents either. Guess that means we have something in common. Now move out of my way Augustus Gloop. Some of us don't let orphancy define us." He seems startled by my sass. Then he regains his composure.

"I should drain you dry Nephilim," he growls before a look of confusions sweeps over his face. "Who the hell is Augustus? My name's Emil."

At first a small smile spreads over my face when he notices the _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ reference. Then his other words sink into my brain. "Oh." I can feel the prickes of uneasiness that comes out around vampires easily now. I had felt them since seeing him but I couldn't identify the uneasiness until now. "You're one of them. That's too bad. I was hoping all of the Night Children would die the painful death they deserved. How did you even escape the fire? It's fatal to your kind."

A frown sinks into his baby face. "You're not very nice. I'm good at hiding, mommy always said so, I was hiding from the nasty vampires. They don't like me." His face shifts from petulance to sincerity in a second. "But I don't suppose they like you very much either Nephilim and you didn't tell me who Augusgus is."

A scowl corsses my usual stoic features. This baby vampire is bringing out the worst in me. And, I notices, keeps keeping me from my muffin and OJ. "I'll have you know bloodsucker, Augustus Gloop is an extremely fat kid who ate himself. Kind of just like you. And just so you know, vampires are terrified of me. You should be too." I don't even dare try to hide the threatening tone in my voice.

"He ate himself? Why? That's so silly." He lets out a little giggle before stepping out of the way of the food. "Do you know where I can get some blood. My tummy is growling just like yours."

"Because he was a chocolate vampire. I don't know you idiot. Why don't you go ask Ronald Dolph yourself? While you are there, get me some Pixy Stixs. And if you want blood, why don't you just go terrorize some victims from the fire? They're dazed enough." The last part is just me begging him to break the Accords. Then I could chop his head off.

"I will but whats a Pixy Stix?" he asks petulantly. "Mommy used to give me blood bags, she didn't like me feeding from people. She didn't like me doing a lot of stuff. I don't know why, did your Mommy stop you from doing fun things?"

"Pixy Stix are sugary perfection. And my mommy taught me all the fun things like maiming and killing all types of Downworlders. It seems like your sire kept you in a golden cage."

Emil lets out a little giggle. "Momy taught me those things as well. She said you should always hurt those who hurt you but I think she was talking about the vampires because they weren't very nice to her. Are Nephilim nice to you?"

"Of course. Shadowhunters stick together." I take a biteful of my breakfast and mull over his reply. When my mouth is clear I look at him again. His façade is too sweet. "Why were vampires after you and the sire I'm assuming you are calling your mother?"

"I wish vampires stuck together. They were mean to my Mommy because of me, because I was human for a long time." Confusion trickles across his features. "And then I wasn't."

That strikes my brain as weird. Why would the Night Children go after their own? I would figure this out. "I see. So how old are you? I know that you aren't as baby faced as you are saying. You probably could be my grandfather." He honestly probably could have been my great-great-grandfather for all I know.

"I don't know, how old are you?" he mimicks. "My Mommy was really old she always said that the other Downworlders should respect her because of it."

So his sire was one of the ancient vampires. I will look her up later. The vampires sometimes turn over their rogues to us. But I cant tell him that. I want info. "Youre lying. Why wont you tell me how old you are?

"Why wont you tell me how old you are?" he giggles, suddenly amused.

"I asked first."

"I'm nine," he laughs. "But you're a big girl so you must be older than me."

"Are you calling me fat you little shit?" I am going to slap the smile off of his face. He is calling me fat! I know it in my heart.

He frowns. "No, mommy said I'll never get to be a big boy," he indicates to his small stature. "But you're a big girl, you can reach things high up." Emil is annoying me and I'm looking for any way to walk away from him. He finally lets me end the conversation.

"Yeah sure. Whatever. I'm leaving. My cousin is waking up." That is true. Aubrey is waking up. I throw away my empty muffin liner and grab a new one then refill my cup. Sometime during our chat I had finished the food. I am halfway across the room when he speaks again.

"But you never told me how old you were!" he calls.

I ignore him instead of replying and make my way to the sleepy half faerie that blinks her eyes slowly at me. Her blonde hair is all over the place. I sigh and offer a part of the muffin to her. She greedily grabs it and tears into the muffin chunk. I take a bite of the remains then promptly choke it down. Gross. It is blueberry. Aubrey looks at me and then back to the muffin. I sleepily give it over. It is too much for me. I need to sleep. After giving her the cup too, I snuggle into the chair and take a cat nap.

Aubrey is the one who wakes me up as a two warlocks, an older man and a young girl, make a portal. Apparently we are going somewhere. Maybe it wont be somewhere crappy. Doing what any reasonable teenage girl would do, I touch-fix my hair the best I can. It sucks but it is better than my usual bedhead. I grab the backpack at my feet and search through it. Nothing seems to be missing so I sling it back over my shoulders. I take Aubrey's hand and walk towards the swirling mass; we each take a breath before jumping through.

We enter on the other side in a large room. I set down the backpack as I look around. When I look back down, I see Aubrey going through it. I narrow my eyes at her and bend down to take it away from her. She yells in protest until I look at her. My face must be as red as my dyed hair because she stops her protest.

Because there seems to be a moment of lull, while everyone else is looking around like I just was, I take out the scrapbook quickly. It makes me sad to see pictures of a baby me with Jude and my parents. We were such a normal Nephilim family. The photos range from recently before their deaths to when mom was pregnant with Jude and then me. A fat tear comes down my face and onto the pages. My heart tears into pieces as I look at them laughing. What I wouldn't do to see them again. Just one more time. Even Uncle Gideon and Aunt Breena. I had resented them after my parents died but now I just miss them. Less than 24 hours ago I had been with them eating lunch at a café. Now their bodies are in the wreckage of the fey attack.

It is right then that I decide that, no matter what, I can't tell Aubrey how I saw her father being stabbed by a faerie as he went to save her. How Aunt Breena was grabbing stuff from around Aubrey's room as she slept despite the fire and shouting. How she then flung a bag into my hands and wrapped up Aubrey onto my waist. How she protected me through the screaming people until I lost her. Then how I barely made it outside to safety. More tears come out faster than the first.

There is no way she can know that I had begged the night before for any reason at all for them to die.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Author: TheEternalDaylightingRanger**

_Harold Frigg_

I set down the bottle of blood a complete stranger gave to me earlier. Although I am desperately thirsty, I still feel sick to the stomach. After the events of yesterday, I doubt anyone can blame me. After all, it's not every day your only friend and mentor dies, right?

Плотный

That's what Benedikt always told me. He lived in Russia for perhaps four hundred years, only coming to America at the beginning of the Cold War. He found me wandering in northern Alaska sometime in the fifties. Deciding to train me into becoming a "proper vampire," he constantly repeated the word.

Resilient.

That's what he told me it meant. And that being a vampire meant having resilience. Obtaining the strong ability to withstand, but being able to spring back immediately after a mistake. It was almost like he _knew_. Benedikt never pried into my personal life, which I still am extremely grateful for. Even now, about 70 years later, I haven't told a soul-dead or living-about those five months on the island.

Maggie sits down next to me, her arm brushing mine. I ignore the strong scent of her blood, choosing to be grateful for some company. She smiles half-heartedly at me, knowing without having to ask, how I feel. In her own way, she feels maybe the slightest pain I'm experiencing at the moment. I try to smile back, but I think it looks more like a grimace.

I want to speak with her, say something that maybe will comfort the both of us, but I've never been very good with words unless it's a sarcastic quip. Turning face her, I open my mouth, not even sure what I'm going to say, when she shakes her head.

"It's fine." she says, her pretty, dark eyes soft. "It's nice to have some quiet after all the rush."

I nod appreciatively. Maggie understands me most of the time. I mutter a quiet "Thanks" and tug on the sleeve of my tan leather jacket. I'm still in the same outfit I was in yesterday; plain white shirt, jacket, and dark brown dress pants. The old dog tag still lightly slaps my chest whenever I move, thankfully not lost in the chaos from hours before.

Maggie is wearing her usual girly garb; a short skirt and white scarf hanging loosely around her pale neck. I've known Maggie since she was a little girl, with her odd red-blue hair. Samuel, her guardian, I know even longer. I still remember our last conversation as clear as day.

"I need Maggie to be safe." he said, pulling me aside from the others.

"She'll be fine at the Boston Institute." I tried to reassure him.

But he only shook his head. "I need someone there to look after her."

"Caroline and Harrison-"

"No." he said firmly, putting a strong hand on my shoulder and squeezing it. "I need someone there I know personally and trust."

I remember swallowing and nodding, making that dreaded walk to the young man in charge and proposing-no not propose-_order_ that I go into the portal to Boston. I owed it to Samuel after all the help he was to Benedikt and I. And then to my greatest surprise, he only nodded tiredly and let me pass through.

But out of all, seconds before I jumped through with Maggie beside me, the look Samuel gave me is drilled into my memory the most.

After the arrival, we were all ushered into our designated rest of the vampires and I would be staying in the Sanctuary, since the wards around the Institute don't allow vampires to walk around the halls. The room is nice, a few makeshift beds along the perimeter, the marble stone floor squeaky-clean, and a large chandelier hanging from the large, dome ceiling.

The Sanctuary in Anchorage was much smaller and less grand of a place, but it felt more homier than this strange, new space. The room Benedikt and I visited constantly to help the local Shadowhunters is in ruins now.

Nothing is left of Benedikt now, other than whatever memories or lessons I have left of him.

Resilience.

I _must_ be resilient.

It's the only way to honor his memory.

Withstanding whatever human is left in me, I had to be resilient to everyone, whether physically or emotionally, it doesn't matter.

So I stand up, offering a hand to Maggie.

"Where are we going?" she asks, confused.

"The Shadowhunters want to hold a special meeting with all of us." I push back my brown hair out of my eyes, tucking a few longer, wavy strands behind my ear.

"What for?" she groans, sighing exasperatedly as she takes my outstretched hand.

"What do you think?" I joke. "Usually Shadowhunters hold meetings to force their thoughts and opinions down your throat. They're probably going to establish our inferior-ness and make sure we know of their superior-ness."

Maggie rolls her eyes. "I'm sure that's _exactly _what it's about.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Author: PokGirl Blue**

_Alexandra Dragonclaw_

"I can't believe it! I wanna just go and beat the daylights out of those Fey!" I yell angrily. I can't believe that yesterday the Anchorage Institute, along with the city, was burned down. My brother, Adam, and I barely escaped the institute in time before it collapsed. We were the few lucky ones, though I wished the others would've made it out; the ones who either died from the fire or when the Fey started fighting us.

"Alex, I know, I'm angry too. But we both know that it would be dangerous to go fight the Fey by ourselves," Adam says. We are walking to the library because the leaders of the Institute, Caroline and Harrison, told us to go there in the morning so that they can tell us the rules and such. Adam is the serious one out of the two of us. Well, when you're the older brother and when two years ago you decided to run off after your mom disappears, I guess you'd have to be serious.

"I know it's dangerous but weren't we created to fight even when it is dangerous?" I ask. Adam has his scolding look, that look of 'Now is not the time, Alex' in his brown eyes, the same eye color I have. I sigh and stay quiet. I put my hand to the scar on my cheek. I sometimes do this because I just think that it will disappear, though in all honesty I wear this scar with pride, because this was from a werewolf that attacked Adam and I when we traveled, and when the full moon sprung, I didn't turn, which was really rare since only 1 in 4 people have a chance to not Turn.

Though one thing I hate about the scar is the look of pity some people give, mostly mundanes when I don't have on the glamour, which is only when Adam and I go to get something to eat. Every once in a while I get asked how I got the scar and I say 'wolf' when it's half of the truth. Sometimes people ask 'How does a wolf cause a nasty scar like that?' and I tell them that it was a large wolf or something like that. Though when a Shadowhunter asks I say 'Werewolf' and one of them would say 'So did you Turn?' which gets annoying, and I tell them no.

"Alex! You there?" Adam asks and I look over.

"What?" I ask and he chuckles.

"I said, what do you think about some of the people here?" he asks. I barely talk to the other survivors or the leaders of the institute, mostly because I'm not really considered a 'People person' and I do tend to act rude to people.

"I don't know, they seem cool I guess." I say and Adam rolls his eyes.

The Boston Institute is similar to the Anchorage Institute, so finding the library is kind of easy. Caroline, Harrison, and some of the Downworlders are already there. I look around the library in awe; sure it's almost the same size as the library back at Anchorage, but just seeing so many books in one place makes me just want to run to the shelves and read every book. Adam and I take our seats on the coach near the fireplace, and a few minutes later the other Shadowhunter and a few other Downworlders show up. I notice that none of the Vampires are here, and I know that they are all back in the Sanctuary.

The woman, Caroline clears her throat to get all of our attention and begins to speak. "We hope that your first night here was as comfortable as possible, and that you were able to rest. We understand that the trauma of what you have gone through is something that will not soon disappear, and we wish to help you in whatever ways possible. If there is anything we can do, please let us know." she says. Caroline has that calm motherly like attitude. She seems like the one most people would go to talk to about their problems.

'I wonder what they will tell us next? Explaining the plans to help take down the Fey that caused this, probably the rules?' I think to myself and lean forward in my seat. I know that at one point we're going to have to fight the Fey. It actually seems like a reasonable thing to do; they started a war against us.

The man, Harrison looks around at us, I guess to see if any of us have something to say. Nobody says anything. "Of course there must be rules set in place that you will follow during your stay here," Harrison says. Guess we should've seen that coming. Every Institute has rules for their guests. "We haven't been made aware to how long it will be before you are able to return home, so it is imperative that you do not break them." Harrison finishes and I flinched a bit at the word home. Just more than a year ago, Adam and I traveled the world because our mom disappeared one day when I was fourteen and Adam was fifteen, and our dad was killed by a vampire when I was ten. We didn't want to end up staying with another family member or end up at Alicante Academy, so we just gathered up some food and gear, and we ran off. The leaders of the Anchorage Institute kindly invited us to live there. Adam and I were only staying there while we were passing by a year ago, but somehow we stayed, and that was our home since last night. It fills me with even more rage just thinking about the memories we've made there.

"Many of you have never stayed in an Institute before, so we feel the guidance that will come with these rules will help you feel more secure." Caroline says. One of the others mumbles something I can't understand. At the Anchorage Institute, the rules were about how you cannot fight without getting the permission to or unless its practice, and some other stuff like that.

"And those of you who have lived in an Institute before, these regulations are ones that you may not be used to. Because there are so many of you, and because you are all of a young age, it has been decided that these additional rules will help in maintaining order," Harrison says, making me a bit curious. I wonder what kind of rules they've had or added to. Probably just 'Don't kill each other' or 'Do not chase the Downworlders around the Institute with what hurts them', though I doubt some of us would do that.

"First, and arguably most important, there will be no fighting of any kind permitted. Whatever animosity you may harbor towards one another, whether previously established or found during your stay here, must be dealt with in a civil manner or not at all." he says. Good, because I'm pretty sure if that rule wasn't said then most of us would probably fight till we're all dead.

"Curfews will be set in place for everyone, to ensure that order is maintained and everyone is accounted by the end of the day. You must be in your assigned room by 11 pm each night, prepared to remain there until morning," Caroline says. Some of us complain, and Harrison gives us a look that tells us to be quiet. Do they expect us Shadowhunters to get back here by that time when we're out on a hunt? We're not all little kids, I can tell that most of us were mature. I guess with everything that's happening they just don't want all of us running out into the night be gone for Raziel knows how long, or if we'll ever return.

"To address the Night Children, who you have noticed by now are not in attendance of this meeting, they must remain inside their Sanctuary at all times, unless we granted permission otherwise. The wards do not allow them to wander the halls, so this is set in place not just for safety, but as a requirement," Harrison says. Some of the Downworlders probably don't know but it's common knowledge for the Nephilim.

"You are allowed to visit them if you so wish. I am aware that some of you may have bonds with some of the Night Children, so we will not keep you separated from them. But you must have permission from either me or Harrison in order to do so," Caroline says. Some of the others nod, understanding the rule.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a vampire. Living for god knows how long, seeing many things and people you care about die, watching until you either die or until man kind or even the planet dies. It would drive me insane going through something like that. I doubt I could stand watching people die before me, as everyone else ages, but you still look the same age. I would consider it a curse. Many would wish to be immortal, but I wouldn't.

"And lastly, you will not leave this Institute at any time, unless you are instructed to do so or have been granted permission. This is essential for your safety; we do not know if the ones responsible for the attack on your homes are aware of the survivors, and we do not want to risk them coming after you to finish what they started. You are protected while here in the Institute, but safety is a difficult thing to guarantee outside of these walls. If, whether from instruction or permission, you are outside, under no circumstances are you to be alone. You must be with someone else at all times," Harrison says.

Ask permission, and curfews, you've got to be kidding me! With everything that is happening I understand why, but I still feel like we're all being treated like little kids. And even though anyone under eighteen is considered a child, we're all mature, we can all fight.

"As long as these rules and expectations are met, there should be no reason that your time here shouldn't be pleasant and comfortable. If you have any questions, you are welcome to ask either of us any time," Caroline says. She dismisses us, and we all leave the library.

I go to the training room. I need to clear my mind, and training seems like the best option. I grab one of the training swords and walk over to the dummy, and I start attacking it. After I've been at it for a while, I start feeling tired so I sit down against the wall.

"What's up A?" I hear Adam asking. He knows I'm not much of a fan of that nickname, but apparently it's his job as the brother to also annoy me.

"Just been training. What about you blondie?" I say and he glares at me for calling him blondie. I just put on an innocent smile.

"How do you feel about this place?" he asks, and I shrug. "It'll take a while to get used to it, but it's nice." I say and Adam nods.

"Well I'm gonna get back to training," I say, standing up, I walk back over to the dummy and start attacking it once more. Adam says 'bye' and leaves the training room.

A training, I go back to my room. I walk over to my bag and open it. I only have a few things, like some of my favorite books, an extra pair of skinny jeans and t-shirt, and some photos. I take out my steele; it has the family crest on it, a dragon. This is the only thing I have from my father, while Adam has the family ring. I hear a knock on the door and I say come in, and see it's Adam.

"Hey," I say, and he says it back. He sits in the desk chair.

"Alex I know that you want revenge on the Fey, but I don't think fighting them will solve it," he says, and I clenched the steele in my hand.

"I know, but I just don't see the point in waiting here and doing nothing!" I say. I know the others in the Institute want revenge on the Fey, hell all of us do ever since the Dark War, so why wait until they attack again?

"Dad wouldn't want us-"

"Dad would've wanted us to fight! Don't say 'Dad wouldn't want us to go out there and fight back!' He wouldn't say that and we both know it! I know you want to protect me and keep me safe but we can't just do nothing!" I interrupt him, knowing well that he would've said that our dad wouldn't want us to.

Adam just gets up, sighs, mutters something, and leaves the room. By the angel, sometimes he can be a real pain in the ass. With everything that's going on, how on Earth will this turn out?


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Author: JustDon'tFlickrrr**

_Evan Jones_

I couldn't sleep. The bright orange flame that consumed pack headquarters burned behind my eyelids whenever I closed my eyes.

Blair had somewhat better luck and managed to doze off. But by the looks of her tossing and turning it wasn't a refreshing sleep.

The heads of the Institute, Caroline and Harrison, were nice enough to let us share a room.

At first, they were adamant. No co-ed rooms unless you were family. After about a half hour of begging from me and icy stares from Blair they gave in.

I took in the couple's dynamic, impressed at their synchronization. When he paused, she continued the train of thought and vice versa.

Throughout the entire meeting, Blair and I sat in the back while she whispered smart remarks to pretty much anything that came out of Caroline or Harrison's mouth.

Her snarks went a little like this;

"Anything to help my ass"

"A.K.A, we are the Shadowhunters, we took you in and if you disobey us you will get the boot. And they say they're united."

"I will beat up whoever I please, thank you."

"11! They want us to go to sleep at 11 P.M? Hell to the fucking no!"

"Good riddance I say, keep the bloodsucking monsters away from me!"

"We can't leave? What do you mean we can't leave?!"

I could understand her distress, after all, we were wolves! We needed to be free in the open air where we could run and see the moon. You will never find a Werewolf that enjoys being confined to one area.

I however, was okay with the majority of the rules, they made sense.

The sound of Blair whimpering softly shakes me from my thoughts.

"Please Daddy, i'm sorry! I said I was sorry!"

I half run to her bedside, gently shaking her awake, grabbing the bottle of vodka under her bed she snatched from the liquor cabinet in case she had an episode.

Tears are now streaming down her face as she cries out in pain. She is dreaming of him again.

I see her face shift from fury and fright into sheer horror as her dream change while I desperately try to shake her awake.

She starts hacking and calling out for me "Evan! Where are you?!"

She is dreaming of the fire.

I finally grab the glass of water that had been placed on the nightstand, dumping it on her.

She jolts awake, her eyes scanning the room for threats.

"Shhhh B, it's okay. Just a dream. Just a dream."

But I knew they weren't.

They're horrible, horrible things, beyond the words 'dream' and 'nightmare'.

They killed her from the inside, remembering what her Father had done to her was bad enough, but this? The fire that had killed Roman? The vamps that had killed Garrett?

She grabs my arm as I pass her the bottle and after she takes a swig, she turns to me, almost hysterical.

"Promise you won't leave me Evan, promise!"

Her eyes are wide like a small, frightened child and I know that I am the only one on this planet she would let see her this way. Scared and sobbing.

"I Promise"

•~•~•

The next day is dark and rainy. The clouds hang low in the sky, and a permanent thin layer of raindrops cover the windows.

Blair's mood matched the weather.

I try to cheer her up with jokes and, because technology is still available to us, funny cat videos off YouTube.

No such luck.

I finally grab her hand and physically haul her from her bed.

"C'mon, they must have a training room here right? Maybe you can punch all this out." I make a dramatic hand gesture and cock a hip, placing my other hand on the opposite one and batting my eyelashes.

The corner of her mouth turns up. Success!

We soon find ourselves in a military-grade room, roughly the size of 1 & 1/2 football fields, with punching bags set up against the back wall, targets, both your typical white-and-red circles and plastic dummies with bullseyes placed all over them, are on the wall to the right.

To the left is safety equipment and a bungee cord, attached to a high up catwalk where you can practice flips.

And finally, at the center of the room are mats where you can spar and plain old dummies for melee combat.

A peek inside each of the 2 rooms along the side walls show racks of swords and other handheld weapons and ranged weapons, respectively.

Other people are there, mainly Nephilim who's names I dont remember, but one warlock with sky-blue hair is aggressively attacking a dummy with some sort of attack magic.

We finally make our way over to the punching bags and I double-check that Blair taped and wrapped her hand before we begin. She often forgets when she got angry and it results in broken fingers.

I am completely focused in beating the shit out of the bag, pouring all my resentment towards Michael, the boy who turned me, and the Fae who started the fire that ended in the loss of one of my best friends, and Jonathan Morgenstern or Sebastian Verlac or whoever for starting all of this bullshit.

I eventually stop, taking a swig from the bottle of water I had nabbed from the kitchen on our way here.

Blair is still going at it, a flurry of fists and feet and of elbows and knees. I am worried that she might turn and then we will have to clean up the mess but I leave her alone. When she is in one of these states she needs to get it out of her system without interruption.

She eventually stops, tear tracks having made silvery lines down her cheeks. She visibly shakes and I un over, helping her sit down and offering her water, which she gladly drinks.

She throws her arms around me, hugging me tightly. "Thanks E" she murmurs, her voice cracked and tired.

I pull her to her feet, bowing and offering her my arm. She snorts and takes it, and we walk arm in arm back to our room.


End file.
